


deck the halls

by nanahoney



Series: fic help prompts [1]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas fic, Fluff, Human AU, Librarian AU, Librarian Sweden, M/M, Winter fic, and denmark's mom, aph denmark - Freeform, aph finland, aph sweden, glasses kink?? because i made finland have a glasses kink, just for the librarian, minor ocs warning?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-07
Updated: 2016-09-11
Packaged: 2018-08-07 07:15:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7705483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nanahoney/pseuds/nanahoney
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tino is just your average boy, living an average life with his nose stuck in a book.</p><p>Berwald is just the librarian, who got him tongue-tied two weeks before Christmas.</p><p>Together, they're like a rom-com cliché from Hell. </p><p>Falling (in more ways than one) ensues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. a thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices; for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn

**Author's Note:**

> again, this is taken over from tumblr. it was originally going to be a one-shot but i kind of wrote this for a one-week event (the prompt being First Meeting - the au and pairing was requested by levyfai) and the deadline was today so i decided to continue it as soon as i finish with that. i liked the idea and where i wanted to go with it. also, sorry for any possible ooc-ness, this is my first time writing them and for it being so rushed, i ran out of time.
> 
> this is also minimally edited for now.

  
Snowflakes caught on his eyelashes and the wind, like a wild beast, nipped at his cheeks and reached under his thin jacket, swirled under his pullover to chill his skin. Tino adjusted the straps of his backpack, one drooping down his shoulder and the howling wind slowed each and every step.  
  
And yet, he sighed - elegant, his breath curled and reached for the clouds - with a hum on his lips and a skip to his step. His hat warmed his ears, that coloured a cherry red at the lobes and a woolen scarf wrapped loosely around his neck, a gift from his mother for his recent birthday. He dipped his chin into it and gave out a dreamy sigh - it was warm and soft and comfortable and Tino really loved his mother. His Christmas present to her needed to be as special as this, even more so.  
  
Tino looked up just before he passed a small building - homey and old-fashioned, Tino could see the first Christmas decorations piling against the inside walls, the tinsel on the windows and the fairy lights twinkling above the door. In a few days time, Christmas carols would jingle through the ajar windows and the atmosphere would be even warmer once they started giving out gingerbread cookies the week before Christmas.  
  
He was giddy just thinking about it as he entered and ducked under the doorway, let himself a second to absorb the sudden burst of warmth, that engulfed him in a gentle hug. He spun around on his heels, shaking snow off his boots on the small carpet set in front of the door while beaming at the older lady behind the library counter. When she turned to give a warm greeting, her face glowed.  
  
“Tino! Back so soon? You just borrowed the books two days ago! You’re such a good boy, you must do so great at school,” She gushed with a wistful sigh and Tino laughed at the wrinkle, that wormed its way between her eyebrows, unwrapping his scarf and pulling off his hat to hang them on the rack. “Unlike that ungrateful boy of Marie’s, you should see him! The atrocities he’s done with his face. Lip piercings, Tino, lip piercings! And a nose piercing! And he never studies and he always comes home with E’s, how horrible is that?”  
  
“Matthias is special ,” He laughed warmly, shaking snow off his bangs. “He’ll do. He’s busy with band practice, or so I hear.”  
  
“But so are you and you do perfectly fine.” The lady’s bony shoulders drooped and her eyebrows furrowed as Tino walked closer, shrugging off his backpack. “I don’t understand how Mattie can be like this. He’s a perfectly good boy yet he makes no effort to study and do something out of himself.”  
  
“I’ve heard he’s planning on going professional with his band,” He unzipped his backpack without taking his eyes off her. “Which is why he never really bothers with school, since he won’t need it.” A shrug and he pulled out his books - three on Vikings and one on myths and legends, a book he needed for school. “Or so he told me, so don’t worry, miss Hana.”  
  
Hana just gave a scandalous gasp as she accepted his books. “But - but that boy is only 16, how can he think of going into - metal music and abandon his education? This is unheard of, wait until Marie hears about this! I don’t believe she let him do this in the first place, form a band! He’s far too young…”  
  
And he took that as his cue to, although shooting her a small smile and nod, tune her out and cheerily announce he’ll be right back, he just needs to take a quick look-around for a few books which was, admittedly a lie and he did feel bad about it, but he wasn’t feeling up to listening about what a horrible decision Matthias was making, especially when he was thinking of doing the same thing.  
  
He walked down the small isle of books - economy, animal care,cooking recipes (he ended up taking a turn down the stacks and returned with a few recipe books on Christmas dinner and dessert) and absently browsed through, the light blinking lazily above his head and casting an orange glow over the space. He hummed soft Christmas melodies under his breath as his fingers brushed against the fine-bound spines with golden stitching, some colourful and fun and some plain, but nothing really caught his eye. Which was understandable, because with Christmas being so close yet so far away, his Christmas-stories starved mind couldn’t get the supply he needed. Everyone knew the number one books to read before Christmas were Christmas-themed, be it “the Nutcracker” or “A Christmas Carol.  
  
”I should ask Hana about “The Little Match Girl”” He mused out loud. “I’m sure she should still have it, unless someone else already borrowed it…” Just as his shoulders drooped at the thought, there was a cough behind him and as he turned to face the person, part confused and part curious, he found himself staring into stern features, a sharp jaw and eyebrows furrowed into a glare and for a second - a split second, really - he was intimidated and something like _shit, get ready to apologize for everything you’ve ever done Tino_ passed through his head, but he squashed it in favour of smiling - albeit uncomfortably - at the man.

“Uhh, yes? May I help you?”  
  
“We do still have it.” His voice was deep and rich, though his posture - stiff shoulders and eyes crinkling at the edges just a bit too much - was awkward. His Finnish was good, but there was a hint of an accent slurred between the syllables. The man licked his lips. “I can show you if you want. We just took it out today. We got a new shipment.”  
  
“Oh, uhh.” Tino just blinked. “Wait, we? Are you working here? You've got to be new, I’ve never seen you before… But Hana didn’t mention anyone new coming in either.”  
  
“I just started today.” He explained and only now that Tino’s eyes wondered lower to land on his chest, he noticed the name tag attached to the deep blue cashmere sweater.  
  
_Berwald Oxenstierna_. That was his name.  
  
It was a nice name, beautiful, though a bit uncommon in the area. He just hummed and reverted his gaze back to inexpressive blue eyes, that stood under slightly furrowed eyebrows. Light flashed off the thickly-rimmed glasses he was wearing, a bit bookish on his sharp features.  
  
Tino gulped after finally getting a good look at him.  
  
It was strangely, maybe just a bit, just a tiny bit adorable, the way his glasses sat perched on his nose. They softened his features, made him look approachable.But it wasn’t like he could simply tell the man that, Tino knew and kept his mouth shut even as he watched Berwald push his glasses higher up with his knuckles.  
  
He took a breath, just about ready to politely ask for Berwald to show him the way with a beaming smile.  
  
“You’re really adorable with glasses, Berwald!”  
  
And that failed spectacularly.  
  
Snow fell outside. The wind howled. Boots crunched the white carpet set artfully on the ground. From behind thick clouds, sun was starting to peek out in a bright hello.  
  
Tino kept his smile - what else could he do, when the mood around them was starting to drop a few degrees and Berwald kept staring him in his first show of emotion, with lifted eyebrows and a red, that crept up his neck to the tip of his nose. Hana was their background noise, filling the silence with her cheery voice. Tino somehow got the urge to tug on his sleeves or mess with his hair or just find something to distract himself from the unknown flashes he could see barely hidden in Berwald’s eyes.  
  
Berwald just blinked once, twice, three times before he seemed to regain his posture enough to motion at him, his eyebrows settling back into their furrowed state.  
  
“Our newest copy of “The Little Match Girl” is this way.”  
  
Tino just shot a (sheepish) smile at Berwald and nodded as he followed after. “R-right!” He just grasped his cooking books tighter against himself, somehow strangely relieved. At least Berwald wasn’t about to dwell too much on the fact Tino basically flirted with him.  
  
Tino always did have a missing filter between his brain and mouth. His mom often scolded him about it.

* * *

  
“Oh,” Tino said as Berwald checked out his books (he ended up getting One Thousand and One Nights because it was there and glaring, almost begging to be picked up for the tenth time) while Hana beamed at a little boy trying to stand on his tip-toes and his parents laughed and picked him up. “I didn’t see you when I first came in. What were you doing?”  
  
”Rearranging and stacking up the books.” Berwald handed him his copy of The Little Match Girl and Tino beamed down at it with affection as he stuffed it into his backpack with the rest of the books. “Miss Järvelä asked me to.”  
  
He looked back up. ”Why? She doesn’t usually restock the books.” Giving a raised eyebrow, part curious and part confused, his gaze fell beyond Berwald’s shoulder to the slowly dimming snow, now falling in rare drops rather than in heaps. The sun was finally out, and it did wonders to the scenery, made it glow in a way Tino would usually find in fairy tales, beautiful and gentle. He looked back at Berwald with a smile as he stuffed his last book in his backpack and slung it over his shoulder again, his library card already in his chest pocket. For a moment, his eyes lingered - on the bridge of his nose and the shadows falling across his cheeks. The glasses did wonders to his face.  
  
Berwald just shrugged a bit, scratching at the back of his neck and that was that. He didn’t offer an answer and Tino wondered, a bit dejectedly, if it was because he honestly didn’t know or because Tino made him uncomfortable.  
  
Tino was willing to put his money on the latter. It really put a damper on his cheery mood, but he only swallowed it down. Not everyone was bound to like him.  
  
“I just got a new shipment.” Hana walked over suddenly, and grinned up at Berwald. She was so tiny next to him, only reaching to halfway up his torso. Tino couldn’t help but bite his bottom lip to stifle a laugh - it was comical.  
  
“Some kids, ah, misplaced our "The Little Match Girl" books after checking them out so I had to order new ones, plus a few older encyclopaedias came. Berwald was arranging them upstairs, but I asked him to go look if you needed help since I was busy talking to Marie.” She explained with exaggerated hand motions.  
  
”Matthias’s mother was here?” He blinked. “Why?”  
  
”She just came here to chat.” Hana shrugged her bony shoulders.  
  
”Eh.” He nodded and fetched his hat and scarf from the rack. He probably won’t need them, the sun having warmed the atmosphere outside drastically, but he still put them on and buried his nose into the scarf, feeling the fibbers tickle his nose. He scrunched it a bit, then sneezed into the soft fabric - loudly, obnoxiously.  
  
Hana was giggling behind the counter. Berwald only stared. Probably judged him.  
  
”Bless you~”  
  
Tino looked over at the person who had spoken - Hana - with red cheeks and a diffident smile. “Oh, uhh, thank you?” He offered sheepishly to her. Out of the corner of his eyes, he couldn’t help but glance at Berwald, who remained quiet behind the counter.  
  
What he saw made him stare.  
  
Instead of the frown he was half-expecting to see on his face, silently patronizing, he found himself looking at a smiling face. Just a small turn of lips, that pulled the left corner more than the right, at cheeks, that turned red and relaxed eyebrows.  
  
Before, Tino had a feeling Berwald didn’t smile much. But maybe he was wrong.  
  
It was beautiful. He just found himself staring at it, at him with a gaping mouth and bright eyes.  
  
He was beautiful.  
  
Tino gripped tightly on the straps of his backpack and he couldn’t help but smile back.  
  
The bell behind him jingled and someone entered with a greeting.  
  
Tino just called his leave then, turned around and ducked under the doorway, into the white wonderland, that awaited him outside. Thick clouds have long since evaporated, leaving only the baby blue skies.  
  
A snowflake glued against his cheek and something tingled all the way to his fingertips, something that wouldn’t let him stop smiling well into the day.


	2. silent night, holy night; all is calm, all is bright

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Matriculation exam - an examination taken at the end of Secondary education to qualify for entry into University.
> 
> this chapter is dedicated to my lovely beta cyber-boredom on tumblr. thanks hon <3

Curling up on his leather couch, a book on one hand and hot cocoa in the other, was always Tino’s absolute favourite pass time, even more so if he had marshmallows bobbing on the surface of his drink and light snow as his background noise. He always made sure he took at least one hour of his day for reading while he still could, no matter how much studying he had left (though all the studying he did for his Matriculation exams had been absolute hell and he more often than not could afford to only read in the late hours of the day, when the stars shone brightly in the velvet sky) and that brought him the peace of the mind he so desperately needed to get through school.

Tino closed his eyes. Peace clouded his mind - a soft buzzing in his brain, almost like a smile, that, usually over-powered by the clutter of words eaten up from workbooks and studying, was finally washing over him. He had been stressed for so long that even thinking sometimes made his head hurt worse than he could imagine. Even weekends, sanctuaries a long time ago, had been passed over in favour of a science book and the hot cocoa for a strong black coffee, rarely sugared to keep him up through sleepless nights.

Peace really was the best.

He tucked his knees further against his chest. A knit blanket was draped over his back and the hot cocoa still warmed his hands, cradled in them as it was. His book - One Thousand and One Night, the book he had borrowed from the library yet again, even if he knew it forward and back - laid limply by his side, on his couch and a sweet piano sound wafted from his radio - Jingle Bells, he found with some pleasure. He hummed along with the melody, even muttered the words from time to time. His fireplace buzzed with life a short distance away and lit up the place, clouded in darkness as it was. The moon was already out, a round thing, like a pearl.

He smiled to himself and took another drink.

His fingers reached out and slid against the words typed on the page - “A loss that can be repaired by money is not of such very great importance.” He read aloud to himself. No one answered, not even his echo and Tino leaned back against his couch. Maybe he should get a cat? God knew he could use the company at least. Week after week of being alone in such a big house were slowly driving him mad.

He looked down at his book. The words stared back, cold and unmoving. Tino smiled; they were strangely comforting.

He was just about to put his cup back on his oak coffee table when his phone rang - his favourite band (Kataklysm) burst the peaceful silence (“He went to Hell, everybody ends up dead. It’s just a matter of when”) and Tino looked up, halfway leaning towards his coffee table. The snow howled outside.

He put down his cup, reaching for his phone instead.

“Yes?” Tino answered without checking the ID. There was no need - there was only one person, who ever called him.

Tino smiled as Matthias’s voice, bright and high-pitched, bellowed through the phone. “Tino, hey!”

”Can you say that any louder? I’m not sure the penguins in Antarctica heard you,” He chortled and relaxed against the back of his couch. His smile only grew at the sputtered excuses, half-hearted in their attempts, then carried on, “What’s up? It’s pretty late, shouldn’t you be in bed already?”

”Okay, first of all, rude, second of all, you’re only four years older than me, geez, you’re just an old man, I swear -”

”If you called me just to insult me I’ll hang up on you,” He teased but even Matthias could tell it was an empty threat.

Matthias’s laugh ran strong through the phone. “Okay, it was just part of the reason. Old man. Grandpa.”

”Matthias.”

”Okay, okay, geez! Where’s your sense of humor?” There was shuffling from the other side, a bump and a curse and a laugh and some yelling and Tino rolled his eyes. He didn’t say a word however, just picked up his book and focused on it while Matthias chased around his little brother.

“Must be nice to be that young and lively,” Tino joked when Matthias returned to the phone a minute or so later, huffing and bristling. Peter’s laughter still rung in the background and it took all Tino had not to smile - it was happy and innocent and from the heart. Tino wished he had siblings. He truly did.

Matthias snorted over the line. “Shut up, idiot. Anyways, back to the point, Peter be damned. I locked the door so he can’t come in.”

”Matthias, he’s your brother, you really shouldn’t.” Tino shook his head and hugged the blanket closer, holding his phone between his shoulder and ear while balancing his book on his knees.

Matthias just laughed again. “Dude, I love him, you know I do, but even I run out of energy to deal with his antics.”

“You?” Tino feigned shock. “No way, the world must be ending.”

”Oh, shut it.” There was a pause, then a cough. “Anyway! I heard you met my cousin.” There was a grin in his voice, probably an eyebrow waggle thrown in for good measure.

The clock ticked by in the background as Tino blinked and shifted himself to make his position more comfortable. A confused wrinkle formed between his eyebrows and he licked his lips to wet them a bit.

Matthias’s cousin? Now that was a concept. He had to be rowdy, cheerful, related to Matthias as he was and yet he met no such person. Not just someone like that - he met no one is more likely and accurate, and Matthias claiming otherwise made no sense, not when he himself had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. His wrinkle climbed lower.

“Matthias, what are you even talking about?”

”Yanno, Berwald! My cousin! The guy from the library?”

Oh. Maybe, just maybe there was someone. Nice.

His eyes widened and a flush crept up his cheeks, only now reminded of the Incident - of seeing gorgeous blue eyes and the thick-rimmed glasses, the smile, that left him warm all over and grinning like a dork - and he forgot to breathe for a second as mortification settled at the pit of his stomach. Oh God.

He coughed, pressing a hand against his lips. “Oh God, he was... Oh God. And he told you?” He asked hesitantly. Okay, maybe Berwald talked about him to Matthias, maybe that was good. Maybe it meant he liked him, maybe it meant he didn’t completely creep him out. Maybe.

“Ah, no, Gran told me when mom dragged me off to visit her in the library. The guy wouldn’t open his mouth about it, he didn’t even answer.” Matthias huffed over the phone and Tino gulped down a surge of disappointment. Disappointment of what? Of the man not saying a peep about the Incident? He wasn’t sure.

The snow was slowly dying off outside.

Tino shifted again to make himself comfortable, and finally grabbed his phone with his hand instead. “Well, yeah, I met him. He seems...” He hesitated then settled for, “Nice.” He couldn't exactly just blurt out ‘adorable with glasses’ or ‘beautiful when he smiles’.

Matthias was quiet on the other side and Tino slapped a hand over his mouth when he realized _oh wait, did I just say that out loud_. He wouldn’t mind if Odin had shot him down at that moment, to be completely honest with himself. Him and his big mouth.

Matthis slowly broke off into cackles, wild and unrestrained and completely amused, and Tino groaned in mortification as he slid down the couch, curling in on himself. “Stop laughing, it’s not funny!”

”But - oh God, you - “ Matthias’s laughter slowly faded into giggles. There was some rustling from the other side - which probably meant he had turned over on his stomach - before he spoke again. “You just called Ber - the serious guy, who’s always glaring and who scares Peter to bits - adorable and beautiful. Shit, this is amazing blackmail material.”

“Thanks for laughing at my misery,” He complained, rubbing his forehead. He sounded childish to his own ears, but he couldn’t help it. “Might I remind you of all the things you say about Lukas? I’m sure he’d be delighted to hear them.”

Matthias laughed on the other side and Tino groaned again. Blackmailing him was easy, apparently, but Matthias was another story all together. He didn’t seem to mind if the whole world knew about the space-size crush he had on the boy he met abroad, and who had moved from Norway all the way to Finland to continue his education at the Academy of Fine Arts in Helsinki, not too far from the village they were living in. The only one who had apparently not noticed it was Lukas himself. Or, if he did, he didn’t say anything about it, maybe because he had no idea how to respond or because he didn’t return it. Who knew at that point.

“Feel free to tell him, man, you know I wouldn’t mind. But we’re not talking about us now - we can do that later - we’re talking about your apparent crush on my cousin.”

Tino gave a small sigh and rubbed his temple. “Matthias, I’m not crushing on your cousin. I just think he’s cute is all. I mean, we only met once.”

“So? Aren’t you always swooning over romance novels and love at first sight?”

“That’s different!” He huffed. “We’re not in a romance novel, for one. It’s believable there but in real life?”

”Come on, where’d your sense of romance go?” Matthias teased.

”Shriveled up and died the last time you described your perfect date in detail. Football, really?

“Or wrestling.” Matthias piped in helpfully. “Not the point though. The point is, you like my cousin and you two should totally get together. We’d be like family then!”

“Stop planning our future wedding, Matthias.” Tino couldn't help but laugh at the dreamy tone in his voice. “And there’s a difference between ‘I find you attractive’ and ‘I want to date you, cuddle you, slow dance with you in the kitchen’. And right now, I’m no where near the second thing.” A short pause. “He still kinda intimidates me, to be honest... He looks like a dork and his glasses look is great and his smile is pretty, but. There’s just something.” His eyebrows furrowed. “He’s always glaring at me, his voice is kinda like listening to a metal singer talking, you know, all deep and shrivel-y, not to mention he seems kind of... Unapproachable, you know?”

Matthias sighed on the other side. “Yeah, I know... He used to be nice, you know? Smiled a lot as a kid. He was always a bit of a loner but he at least spent time with me if I asked. But then something happened and he. Shut everyone out. Nothing really happened - I was still living in Sweden with him when he became like that - so mom said it’s just puberty hitting him or something psychological. I dunno.”

“Yeah.” Tino closed his eyes. “I feel kind of guilty talking about him behind his back like this....” A slow frown slid onto his face. “But you said he lived in Sweden? Why did he move here?”

Matthias took his time answering and made a sound, as if deep in thought. Tino reached out and took his cup of hot cocoa - it had cooled considerably by then, almost completely cold on his tongue - as he waited for an answer. “I actually have no idea. I haven’t seen him in years,, but suddenly he called us, asked if he can move here and just like that, he did a week later. My mom was happy to let him stay with us - she knows something but she wouldn’t tell me, can you believe that? Said it’s “not her place to tell”.” Tino could almost see Matthias making air-quotes around the words, followed closely by a huff. “So I think it’s something serious. I don’t know what made him move here all the way from Sweden though.”

Tino hummed in understanding and chewed on his bottom lip. “... You don’t think he’s a wanted criminal or something, do you?”

“What, Ber? He literally can’t hurt a fly, so I kinda doubt it.” Matthias seemed amused by the very notion. “Okay, I think that’s enough about my cousin, don’t want you to start crying because you’re talking about someone behind their back.” Tino sputtered a denial, but Matthias only laughed and ignored him. “So, about Lukas....”

Tino sighed as his best - only, really - friend broke off into a rant about how ‘amazing and talented’ Lukas is at painting, and how he ‘showed Lukas his photos and he complimented them, their ship is finally starting to sail’ but smiled as he shook his head in mirth.

He was always happy to listen to Matthias talk. He just wished he had someone, who would talk about _him_ with such passion.

-

Tino shook snow off his boots before entering the library, hugging his jacket tighter against himself. The weather had been amazing in the morning - the sun had shone bright on the horizon and there were barely any clouds when he had got into his car and drove off to school - but it had taken a turn for the worse by the time he had returned, the snowfall so fierce it was difficult just to park his car and walk back inside. The wind had blew a gale and snowflakes had glued to his window. He had just been lucky he had been able to drive back home after classes were done.

Tino sighed in bliss as the sudden burst of warmth engulfed him, and stood in the doorway for a split second to soak it in, before he was taking off his cap and unwinding his scarf from where it sat tucked comfortably against his neck. It was bright inside, the whole space lit up by fairy lights of all colours and shapes. Reindeer traipsed over the windows in a white glow, and tinsel decorated almost every inch of the place. He smiled to himself when he noticed even Hana was victim to the holiday season, in a knitted, Christmas-themed sweater.

“Hey, sorry I came in so late. The snowfall was crazy.” He complained to her, already in the middle of walking over. She turned around from where she was arranging the books on the shelves and her expression brightened considerably.

“That’s okay! We only close in half an hour.” She hurried to the counter to meet him face to face. “You don’t know how much help Berwald is. Marie was right to tell me to hire him.”

Tino’s smile curled wider in slight amusement. “Oh? Is he here now?” He shook the backpack off his shoulder, unzipped it and pulled out One Thousand and One Night to return it.

She hummed and scanned it. “Yes, he’s at the back right now. Matthias came in with Peter so I asked him to help them look for what they wanted while I arranged the books over there.” She motioned at the bookshelf behind Tino with her hands almost proudly. “What do you think? I’ve been working on it for almost two hours!”

The bookshelf looked gorgeous, Christmas-themed and decorated with fairy lights and mistletoe, like the rest of the place. A candle stick stood on top of a simple red and white table cloth and Christmas carols wafted from a far-off corner. Tino turned back to her with a grin. “A little less than two weeks until Christmas and you’re already so enthusiastic? Not that I blame you. It looks gorgeous! I might borrow a book or two from there next time I come over... I still need to finish the Little Match Girl.” He paused. “Again.”

Hana leaned forward a bit as she tucked away the book he had returned. “I recommend Two Tickets to a Christmas Ball. It’s a completely new book here, I just got it yesterday. Marie’s read it in Sweden though, and she said it’s wonderful. I trust her sense of Christmas stories.”

”If Marie said it, I don’t doubt it.” He agreed and blew his hair out of his face. He waited for a bit though, under the guise of checking out the books Hana had stacked on the bookshelf with absent-minded interest, letting his fingers brush along the spines. There was a jingle from the door - Hana made a gleeful sound at the person who entered, called him “darling” so he was guessing it was her husband - but he kept his eyes on the books to hide his growing smile as cheerful voices trailed closer and closer.

“And the teacher said my drawing was great and that it looked just like you!”

”It does look just like me.” Matthias’s accented drawl trailed from around the corner. “Down to the beauty mark under my eye, Peter.” Peter made a gleeful sound and then yelped and that was when they turned around the corner and entered the hallway.

Tino turned towards them with a beaming smile - it had been too long since he had last seen Peter - or Matthias for that, seeing as they had barely any classes together and were generally too busy to really meet up and hang out much -- and Peter, the small kid with the large baby blue eyes and the messy hair, positively glowing and bursting with unrestrained joy, gasped and reached for Tino from where he was tucked against Matthias’s neck. Matthias was grinning at him too, all bright-eyed and youthful and Tino was really glad they were friends.

”Tino!” Peter called, whining and thrashing about in Matthias’s grip until he took the hint and put him down on the ground. The kid barely reached Matthias’s waist when he stood like that and if it wasn’t for the mop of his hair, Tino sincerely doubted he would appear even that tall. But, he looked at him in unrestrained joy and ran over, hugging around his legs and Tino’s heart swelled with fond affection.

“Hey, Peter.” He knelt and pressed a kiss against the top of his head, pressing back his bangs. “Missed me?”

”Yeah! Mattie’s being a meanie to me and never plays with me!” He complained, but he couldn't seem to restrain his smile so Tino knew it was just light teasing. “I like you way better.”

Matthias huffed and rolled his eyes. “Who’s being mean now? That stings, yanno?” Matthias looked back up to meet Tino’s eyes and grinned. “Don’t mind him, Tino, you know he’s lying. He adores me.”

“Nu-uh!”

“Du-uh!”

“Nu-uh!”

Tino laughed as they bantered on and on - sometimes, he had a feeling Matthias was more of a child than Peter could ever be, times like this, when he stomped so low as to argue with Peter who Peter loves most when it was obvious he adored Matthias to death. It was amusing though, so he left them to their own devices for now, until it got out of hand. His eyes slithered to the counter instead, locking with Berwald’s, who stood there, a bit tense, almost as if he didn’t want to be there. He looked away a second later however, and sat down at his chair to busy himself somehow. Tino stared a bit and his smile flickered through his mind - it really was beautiful, gentle. It was a shame he didn’t smile more, when it did wonders to the contours of his face, made it lighter, gentler. Unlike the furrow of his brow and the wrinkle between them, that never seemed to move away.

He tore his gaze from him - _what am I doing again_ \- in favour of rolling his eyes at Peter and Matthias. “Do you want to go grab a drink together?” He suggested with a light smile. Their gazes snapped on him. “I finished studying so I should be good.”

Peter’s features brightened in a beam. “Yes, yes, yes! Please, Mattie? Please?” With a drag on the last word, Peter sauntered over with big, doll-y eyes and tugged on Matthias’s sleeve. Tino could see his face crumble at the look before he sighed, feigning defeat.

“Fine.” He glanced at Berwald, then at Tino, then at Berwald again. “Hey, Ber?”

Berward looked up from where he was staring intently into his lap, with a confused frown tugging at his lips. “Umm, yes?”

Tino sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He had a feeling he knew where this was going.

Matthias grinned. “Want to join us for the drink? I know your shift ends now so you’re free, right?”

Called it.

Berwald suddenly looked a bit uncomfortable and shifted on his seat. “Well, I guess but-”

“Great!” Matthias interrupted him and looked down at Peter. “You can get to know your cousin now better, isn’t that great? I’m a genious, right?” Peter pouted a bit.

“But he’s scary...”

“He’s a sweetheart at heart.” He was careful not to let a dubious tone slither into his voice. “It’s gonna be cool! Besides.” He cast a sly glance at Tino, who wanted to groan in frustration. This was just another opportunity to humiliate himself. “I’m sure Tino wants to get to know him better. You should show him around tomorrow, too.”

“It’s really okay...” Berwald sighed and stood up. Tino glanced at him - he could see Hana getting ready to leave out of the corner of his eyes. “You don’t have to do it.”

”I don’t really mind.” He cast a secret glare at Matthias, who only smiled back, before turning to smile at Berwald again. “I think it could be interesting! I could show you a lot of things, I know a lot of people too!”

Berwald seemed to relax a bit. “Well, if it’s not too much trouble.” He pushed his glasses higher - Tino’s eyes lingered on his face for a second, before he smiled at him. As if relieved, Berwald smiled - albeit awkwardly and crookedly - right back.

Tino hid a grin by turning and picking up Peter. “Let’s go then. There’s a good place nearby.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope that was enjoyable! i already have the next chapter written out so i think i'll start updating regularly? hopefully. i hope the characters aren't too ooc, too ;; like i said, i'm not too masterful at the nordics---


	3. angels we have heard on high; singing sweetly through the night

The restaurant was small and cozy, tucked away near the local park, on a busy corner. It looked almost like a cottage, with wooden walls and a high roof. The windows were round and the inside hidden with silk red curtains.

There was a chandelier hanging above their table and it really set the atmosphere. The glow was dim and auburn, casting shadows against the walls around them. They were tucked away in a private booth, with a vase of roses sitting comfortably on the table and a red tablecloth spread out.

Tino leaned back in his cushioned seat, eyes speeding over the words on the menu briefly, with a contented smile on his lips. Matthias was sat in front of him, balancing Peter on his knee while he read the words to him, slowly, so Peter would understand. At five, Peter could talk Finnish but his reading left something to be desired, which Tino wasn’t really surprised about. He still had time to learn.

Tino was watching them fondly, brushing his fingers against the leather of the spine. He shifted on his seat, then crossed his legs under the mahogany table.

Berwald was sat next to him, with his head bowed down and eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Tino balanced his head on his hand and tried to cast a discreet glance his way, teeth chewing on his bottom lip. God, he was glad he had chosen _Charlotta_ for this - outing, he guessed. The light played hide and seek in his hair, made it glow an auburn golden colour and his eyes were bright underneath it. It caught on his glasses, made them flare with every movement of his head.

He wasn’t even sure why he chose to go here - he had planned on taking Matthias and Peter out to _Blueberry_ for a quick drink of hot chocolate and they landed in a French restaurant instead, intending to eat. Not to say he wasn’t hungry - university cafeteria wasn’t exactly the best - but he had intended on going home afterwards, make himself a hot sandwich and some cocoa or tea then head to bed.

Tino sighed and dropped his head, eyeing his menu.

”Have you guys decided on what to eat yet?” Tino looked up again and smiled across the table at Peter, who was pouting down at his menu.

“These are all so fancy...” He complained, slumping against Matthias’s chest. “I dunno what to pick...”

Tino’s smile widened. Berwald made a sound of agreement by his side and scratched the back of his neck. Not that Tino knew, of course. “I know the owner so I can wholeheartedly recommend you choose the _Buckwheat Crepes_. He makes the best ones.”

Peter furrowed his eyebrows. “..What?”

”Crepes. Uhh, pancakes.” He explained and Peter’s features brightened. He made a gleeful sound and clapped his hands, chanting the word over and over again while Matthias laughed above him.

“Now that that’s settled.” He said, mouth curling in amusement. “I’ll just have the scallops. Uhh, these ones.” He pointed at the curved French on his menu, furrowing his eyebrows. Tino hid a smile behind his hand - Matthias was bad with French.

“ _Coquilles Saint-Jaques_?” He offered and, by his side, Berwald choked on his spit. When Tino turned to face him, blinking in confusion, he was staring at him, eyes wide behind his glasses and mouth set agape. There was a pleasant flush climbing up his face, up to the tips of his ears down his neck. His eyes were bright and glowing, a swimming ocean of emotions Tino couldn’t read and he felt the same flush starting to form against his cheeks.

Berwald was staring at him oddly, but Tino liked it. It was a nice expression.

Matthias, however, just seemed amused, and Peter confused.

“W-what?”

Berwald coughed and the moment was broken, when he turned to face his menu again. His eyes stared pointedly at it, obviously determined not to make eye contact again. “N-nothing.”

Tino bit his lip and looked away, too. “Uhh, okay...” What was that all about?

-

“Miss Sofia is the nicest teacher, I think.” Peter shifted on Matthias’s knee, continuing his tale of his days in kindergarten. He took a sip of his hot chocolate; foam gathered above his bottom lip but he paid it no mind and continued talking, smile wide and eyes shining in childish joy. His arms were flying around rather animatedly to endorse his points and Matthias was laughing by his side, chiding and poking his sides as he teased.

Tino took a sip of his own drink - apple juice; he’d normally go with wine at _Charotta_ but he didn’t want to drink with Peter there. It was too bad he couldn’t tease Matthias about it though - he’d always whine about how unfair it was he couldn’t drink wine just yet in Finland, while in his home country, Denmark, he’d be free to do it. It was awfully amusing. Their dishes weren’t ready yet, having ordered only a couple of minutes ago, but Peter’s stomach was already growling. It was obvious the little boy was growing restless, shifting and squirming on Matthias’s knee as he was, eyes darting around rather impatiently.

“Why isn’t it here yet? I’m hungry!”

”Relax, little guy.” Matthias rolled his eyes and affectionately rubbed his fingers through his hair. “It’s gonna be here soon. We just ordered, remember?”

Tino grinned around the rim of his glass. “Why don’t you tell us more about your friends while we wait? I’d love to hear all about your adventures.”

Peter’s eyes brightened considerably as he dove into another story of how he and his friends saved the world from bad guys and how unfair it was no one could appreciate that. He talked about dragons and princesses and how he played a damsel in distress once and how fun it was, how he was protected by his friends.

Tino hid another smile as he gulped down his drink. Berwald was drumming his fingers against the table and he still wasn’t meeting his eyes, not even when he asked a question; he just answered in short grunts, or shook his head or didn’t answer at all, just shrugged and took a drink of his apple juice. It was ridiculous, really, and a bit disheartening.

Because maybe Matthias was right. Maybe he did like Berwald a bit. He intrigued him as a person, and he wanted to make him smile. Wanted to be the one to make him smile and laugh uncontrollably.

But that was hard to do when Berwald wouldn’t even look him in the eye.

Tino bit back a sigh. It was ridiculous, really; he’d never really been attracted to someone like Berwald. He liked someone open with his feelings, who practically wore them on his sleeve, someone who smiled a lot, who laughed and could be happy.

This was the first time someone quiet, reserved and closed off had really caught his eye and he had no idea about how to approach this. Was Berwald even gay? Or bisexual? Would he just make a fool of himself, if he tried to start something?

He hated how complicated this had to be. He hated he had to over-think everything. He hated not knowing something like this, hated being so unsure of himself.

Tino gulped down the rest of the juice just as the waiter brought two of their dishes - Peter’s pancakes and his Cheese Souffle - and asked for a refill.

-

“Today’s been fun.” Matthias beamed, carrying a slumbering Peter on his back. The moon was already out and the stars shone brightly, scattered across the endless stretch of the sky. The snow crunched under their feet and disturbed the stilted silence all around. Only the soft whistle of the wind was their background music.

“Yes, it was.” Tino smiled at him, hands stuffed in his pocket. He was walking in the middle, sandwiched between Matthias and Berwald, and he felt Berwald’s shoulder brushing against his with every step he took, their fingers bumping. Every touch sent a pleasant buzz through him, something warm, like happiness. Berwald never flinched away, either; Tino chose to take that as a good sign. “I’m really glad we got to spend the day together, Matthias. And with you too.” He quickly added, with a sheepish smile thrown to his right. Berwald’s lips seemed to curl for a second before a murmured a soft answer and just turned away from him.

“You two, live together, right?”

“Mhm.” Matthias shifted Peter a bit so he could hold him at a better angle. “Why?”

Tino shrugged. “No reason. Just asking.” He glanced at Berwald. “When do you want to meet up tomorrow? I have classes until four but I’m free after!”

Stepping into the beam of light of the streetlights, Tino could see Berwald startle for a second before schooling his expression. “You were serious about that?”

He tilted his head. “Yeah? Why wouldn’t I be?”

Berwald coughed. “I thought you were joking... But my shift ends at three tomorrow, so I guess we can meet up at five, if that’s okay?”

Tino’s smile almost broke his face. “That’s perfect, yeah. Five?”

With a nod, Berwald looked back in front of himself, but Matthias was smirking and Tino sent him a glare when he whispered into his ear, “Stop flirting, you two.”

“Shut up. This is your fault anyway.” He murmured in return.

”I was right, wasn’t I?”

Tino hesitated before answering. “Whatever.”

Matthias’s cheer was still loud and smug. Tino wanted to rub his temples and groan in pure frustration.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a bit on the shorter side but i felt this was a good enough place to end on? the next chapter's all berwald and tino interaction so you can look forward to that :D also i have no idea where tino knowing french came from. i just like the idea


End file.
